the South, which seems irremediable, is
the distrust with which those who sustained the Confederate States are
regarded by a large number of Northern people. Our motives are
habitually misrepresented, our purposes misunderstood, our actions
perverted, our character maligned. On our conduct have been placed
constructions which seem to spring from direst hate or malice. By
representative men Southern States are spoken of as outside the Union;
and "a solid South" has been the party appeal most efficacious for
arousing sectional and vindictive passion. Every Southern citizen who
followed his convictions, and affiliated with the 1,640,000 Democrats
of the North, is suspected of disloyalty or treason. No protestations
of men or parties, no avowals of governors or legislatures, are
accepted as sincere unless accompanied by a support of the Republican
party. Party platforms, the support of an Abolitionist like Mr.
Greeley, organic laws, are regarded as deceptive because the shibboleth
of disloyalty and patriotism is "Republicanism." These persistent
efforts to brand us as inferiors, to make us unequals as citizens, to
coerce the support of an administration and a party, are based upon our
unfitness, morally or intellectually, to decide for ourselves what is
best for the country's welfare and perpetuity. We are loyal, and
patriotic, and honest only when we sing paeans to the Administration and
its favorites. Practically the war has been prolonged, and this policy
of disunion alienates, embitters, and prohibits the growth of fraternal
sentiments. To prevent a complete and durable reconciliation seems the
settled policy of a large party. This proscription and ostracism have
helped to create a hopelessness as to the future. A nightmare paralyzes
our energies.

The South, if conquered, and honestly accepting the results of the war,
needed encouragement and material help instead of discriminating
injuries. Her condition was deplorable. All wars are destructive of
property and production. To the South the war between the States was
exhausting to the utmost degree. Its destructiveness is not computable
by figures. The numerical inferiority of the army made it necessary to
put into the effective military force every available boy and man; and
these were thus withdrawn from productive labor. Much of the labor that
remained was applied, not to the production of wealth, but to such
manufactures as were needful only in war. For four dreadf